DAHLE CleanTEC 51572 Paper Shredder w/Fine Dust Filter, Automatic Oiler, German Engineered, Security Level P-5, 14 Sheet Max, 5+ Users

The DAHLE CleanTEC 51572 is a P-5 micro-cut department shredder that combines the finest cut in the CleanTEC department line with its widest feed: a 16-inch throat over a 45-gallon bin. It takes 14 sheets of 20 lb paper per pass, oils itself automatically and filters up to 98% of fine dust. It suits organizations whose policy names P-5 and whose waste includes oversized or wide-format sheets.

CleanTEC 51572 essentials

• P-5 for paper (about 28 mm² particles) and O-4 for discs
• 16-inch throat feeding a 45-gallon bin
• 14 sheets per pass at 20 lb bond, 16 at 16 lb bond
• EvenFlow automatic oiler on the cutting cylinders
• 53 dB and 20 ft/min
• 2-year machine warranty, cylinders covered for life

Deciding whether you need the 51572's P-5 cut

P-5 costs throughput, so check your policy first. The 51572 produces a 1/13 x 9/16 in particle, around 2 x 15 mm or 28 mm², inside the 30 mm² that DIN 66399 allows at P-5. The P-4 51564 in the identical cabinet leaves about 126 mm² particles but takes 22 sheets instead of 14.

P-5 is typically chosen for clinical records, full account data, personnel files and legal discovery, or simply because a client contract names it. It is not a government classification standard: NSA/CSS 02-01 requires a 1 x 5 mm particle and listing on the NSA Evaluated Products List, which no CleanTEC machine meets.

Oiling, filtering and emptying the 51572

The EvenFlow Lubricator meters oil continuously across the cylinders while they turn. The reservoir is filled at the factory; refill it with Dahle oil 20721 (12 oz) or 20722 (1 gallon). The CleanTEC filter, part 20710, captures fine dust inside the cabinet, and the bin takes 20726 bags, which are not supplied.

Fine P-5 shred packs densely, so the 45-gallon drawer holds a lot of paper before the bin-full sensor stops the machine, but a full bag is heavy. The cabinet is 20 in wide, 29 in deep and 38 in tall, weighs 141 lb and rolls on lockable casters. Other details include Trident Grip jam protection, SmartPower standby and a chain-driven continuous-duty motor on rubber shock mounts.

CleanTEC 51572 specifications

51572 versus nearby CleanTEC models

• CleanTEC 51564: same cabinet, oil-free P-4 head, 22 sheets per pass. Choose it if P-4 is acceptable.
• CleanTEC 51522: same P-5 and O-4 ratings with a 12-inch throat and 38-gallon bin, at 16 sheets per pass.
• CleanTEC 51472: P-5 in a 30-gallon office cabinet with a 12-inch throat, for smaller groups.

Who should buy the 51572

It belongs in a hospital records office, a legal or financial back office, or a design firm destroying client work, anywhere P-5 is mandatory and sheets are not all letter size. If speed matters more, the 14-sheet pass is the lowest in the CleanTEC department cabinets; if you never feed anything wider than tabloid, the 51522 does the same P-5 job in a shorter cabinet.